Song of the Vale
by TheHttydRaven
Summary: Here the Sacred Pools spring pure. Here, seek any who desire cure. Holy. Nature. Powers Divine. Turn death to life, death to life. After the death of his father, Varian Wrynn, Anduin Wrynn was primarily intrigued by that last line.
1. Chapter 1

Honestly I don't even know if this makes sense according to the lore but I wrote it in a daze at 3 am after not sleeping a wink for two nights so just ignore the mistakes and enjoy it, ya know?

I had the lyrics of the Song of the Vale on my phone just in case I needed to reference them for a fanfic, but I was looking at them trying to get inspiration for an Anduin fic... and then I wrote this, oops.

《◇》

_There is a valley where dreamers sleep._

Anduin had stopped at the top of the valley the previous night to give his weary bones a few precious hours to rest, but as the bright sun rose slowly, so did he, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and stretching his sore muscles as he packed up his meager camp. Rolling up his bedroll and packing it away was all he required before setting off again, pulling a few nuts and berries from the pack upon his back to eat for breakfast as he walked.

As he slowly and carefully made his way down the slight slope of the valley, Anduin took this time to glance around and take in the magic and beauty that was this sacred place.

The grass was lush and green, the tall strands, wet with small droplets of morning dew, moving in unison as the gentle breezes rushed past them. Trees were scattered across the valley, offering places of rest and shade from the warm sun that beamed down from overhead, shining through the fluffy clouds that lazily floated across the early morning sky.

Animals were abundant. Anduin had seen many rabbits hopping over the grasses before disappearing back into the tall grasses. There were also many creatures that he had never seen outside of his adventures in Pandaria. Large furred creatures that reminded him of tigers lounged in the branches of the trees overhead, giving Anduin little more than a curious glance before returning to their naps or bounding off to catch a smaller animal for a meal.

_Where flowers bloom and willows weep._

As Anduin walked, he reached out and brushed his hands through the beautiful flowers that bloomed all around him, taking great care to avoid stepping on the small plants in his path as he walked. The leaves of the willows above him brushed against his long blond hair as he made his way past, some falling from the tree as he passed, spiraling in slow circles to rest upon the grassy ground of the valley that surrounded them.

_Where loamy earth springs life anew._

Anduin was almost breathless as he took in the abundance of life that was present all around him, amazed at the amount of animals and plants that breathed and bloomed all around him. It was beautiful, and absolutely wonderful.

Anduin felt a smile grace his lips. The young king had not found a reason to smile since the death of his father, but this place had a positive affect on him. All of Pandaria had a positive impact on him in general.

_And waters sparkle, clear and blue._

Anduin ended up walking along a small creek which sparkled in the sunlight as it ran over small rocks and fish, which were visible through the clear blue waters of the creek.

When the king stopped to rest for a moment, he crouched beside the creek and reached out to trail his hand in the cold water, watching curiously as brightly colored fish of all sizes easily swam around the obstacle in their path, a small twitch of their body sending them gracefully around Anduin's hand. Cupping his hands, Anduin lifted his hands from the water and brought them to his lips, the cool and refreshing waters bringing relief to the tired king as he drank his fill.

When he had drunk his fill of water, Anduin had a few berries from his pack to refuel him, before setting off once again for the bottom of the valley.

_Where every hearth brings peaceful ease._

Outside of Pandaria, Anduin had been barely able to have a moment to take a breath since his fathers death. The urgency of the war campaign and the actions of Sylvanas and her Horde had taken all of his attention and time, barely giving him a moment of silence to do anything by himself.

But here, in this sacred place... Anduin could feel the stress that had found a grip upon him the last few months drifting away as he breathed in the clean, pure air that surrounded him, the quiet air, populated only by the rustling of animals all around him, calming the young king as he made his way past.

_And beauty sings on every breeze._

A light breeze swept past the new King of the Alliance as he walked, carrying small leaves and flower petals with it as it caused his hair, which was tied into a ponytail to keep it out of his way, to wave gently before settling back against his neck.

With the breeze came the bright song of the many birds of the valley, the creatures happily chirping as they dipped and whirled through the air above, worrying about nothing as they sang their songs.

As a bird fluttered around his head, Anduin paused and rose a hand, extending a finger to perch upon, which the bird did. Little feet curled around his appendage, the brightly colored bird tweeting happily as it fluttered its red wings, the soft feathers tickling Anduins finger, prompting him to let out a short laugh as he smiled kindly at the small animal.

The bird flapped its wings as it released its grip upon Anduin's finger, rising onto the air and circling around his head for a short time before chirping a goodbye and flying away, joining a collection of its own species that were gathered in the top of a tree a few paces away.

_Here the Sacred Pools spring pure._

Anduin could see his destination ahead, the Sacred Pools, their bright softly glowing waters rippling softly as the breeze swept across them, disturbing the preciously smooth surface of the water. Surrounding the pools were the most vibrant flowers Anduin had seen so far, the small plants seemingly glowing with life as they swayed in the wind.

_Here, seek any who desire cure._

Anduin was tired, his legs burning from the journey he had taken to get to the valley, but he ignored the aching pains and pressed on, determined to reach the softly glowing waters of the Sacred Pools, the place that could possibly offer a cure to the aching hole in his heart.

_Holy. Nature. Powers Divine._

As Anduin neared the Sacred Pools that were in the center of the valley, he could feel the very power of these waters, the power which moved through the air, sang beneath the ground, filling the young kings heart with peace and serenity as he neared the source of the power he was sensing.

_Turn death to life, death to life._

Varian Wrynn, his father and the previous king of the Alliance, had died upon the broken shore, slain at Gul'dan's hand, Anduin knew of this and accepted it as the unchangeable truth.

But would Varian Wrynn stay in the land of the unlivng forever... or was there truly a magic powerful enough to be able to put the broken and scattered pieces of the once-king of the Alliance back together? To bring him back to life?

To bring him back to Anduin?

Anduin wouldn't rest until he knew for sure.

And he was about to find out.

《◇》

So... revival without the body being present? MAYBE I DUNNO IF THAT'S HOW IT WORKS, THIS IS FANFICTION SO I CAN DO WHAT I WANT, SO SURE WHY NOT.

Does anyone want a second chapter? I can write a second chapter where he finds out whether or not he can bring Varian back if anyone wants it. He needs to get rid of his sad and bring back dad.


	2. Chapter 2

Enjoy :)

I honestly wasn't planning on writing a second part, I was just going to leave it open to reader interpretation, but ah well here we go.

Note: I know that in the cinematic where Anduin recovers Shalamayne and speaks with Varian again it shows that the height difference between them is pretty equal, but let's just say that Varian is a little more taller because you know... why not. :p

《◇》

Anduin gently knelt in the dirt beside the pools, the waters casting a soft blue glow onto his form as he gently pulled his pack from is back, settling it beside him.

As Anduin undid the various latches and buttons keeping the pack closed, he let out a deep breath, the shaky exhale revealing his nerves.

He had dreamt of this moment. Of reaching the pools, of bringing his father back.

But now that he was here, knelt beside the Sacred Pools in this mystical valley, the young king began to have doubts. A flood of questions rampaged through his mind.

_What if it didn't work?_

_What if this trip was for nothing?_

_What if something goes wrong?_

Anduin could do nothing to ease himself of his worries, but he focused on the task at hand, refusing to let his mind wander and find more "What-if" scenarios.

Anduin wiped his sweaty and grimy hands off on his simple cloth pants before slowly, gently, reaching into his pack, and withdrawing the item he had carefully kept safe and untouched for the entire journey to this place.

Shalamayne.

Anduin held the sword aloft, eyes softening as he took in the weapon his father had held in his final moments. The hollow part of the sword was vacant, the orange-red hue that normally proudly gleamed within it now absent.

Anduin had wrapped a soft cloth around the sharpened blade to keep it safe throughout the journey, - and to prevent himself from slicing open his hand or arm when reaching into the pack to grab items - but now, knelt beside the softly glowing waters of the Sacred Pools, Anduin slipped the cloth off of the blade, putting the soft covering in his pack for later.

As he moved the sword, the bright rays of sunlight beaming down from above fell upon the reflective surface of Shalamayne, causing the sword to shine in an almost ethereal way, gleaming in the light of the mid-day sun.

Anduin slowly, reverently, leaned forward and carefully placed the sword in the shallow waters, his hand only submerging to the wrist before it met the bottom of the pool.

With Shalamayne placed, submerged in the Sacred Pool, Anduin could only sit back and watch.

Watch and hope.

Anduin risked closing his eyes for a moment, offering a quick prayer to the Light, - even though he knew the Light probably had no hand in the mystical magics of Pandaria - praying that the sword that had basically been apart of his father for so many years would work as a placeholder for his physical body.

When Anduin opened his eyes, they widened in shock, a quiet gasp escaping his lips as he stared at the waters before him.

The sword, Shalamayne, was floating above the water, a soft mist surrounding it as it slowly grew brighter and brighter, the magic surrounding the pools growing to a point where Anduin was almost overwhelmed by the sheer power that was contained in this single place.

The brightness of Shalamyne continually grew, until eventually it reached a point where Anduin could not bear to look at it any longer, instead shielding his eyes with a gloved hand, looking down at the dirt until eventually the glow was so bright that he could not even see the ground he was standing on, his body being enveloped by a soft white glow that banished all shadows and filled every crevice with its light.

"Anduin..."

The young kings head snapped up in shock, the man stumbling forward slightly as a voice intruded on the silent serenity of the Sacred Pools.

That voice...

Was the voice of Varian Wrynn.

His father.

As Anduin turned around in search of the voice, of his father, he took in that he was no longer at the Sacred Pools. The young king was instead in a land of white, the floor, covered with a slight fog of white, stretching on for what seemed like forever in all directions.

Was this..?

"My son."

Anduin whirled, suddenly coming face-to-face with a chestplate, the person wearing it having been standing right behind him.

_It couldn't be..._

Anduin, limbs shaking, took a small step backward, head tilting up to make out the face of the person who was with him.

"F-" Anduin's eyes were suddenly watery, his vision blurring as tears slowly made their way down his dusty cheeks. "Father? Are you..?"

Varian smiled softly as he looked down at his son, who stared back at him in shock.

"Anduin. I... have missed you." Varian extended a hand to his son, who hesitantly stared at it. "Let us return."

"Return?" Anduin questioned as he stared at the outstretched hand, not taking it, not wanting to risk his father not being real, not being physically with him.

"To the land of the living."

"You mean...?" Anduin couldn't finish his question, refusing to let the hope that the Sacred Pools had worked their magic as foretold build up in him incase it was crushed.

Varian said nothing in return, only nodding.

Anduin slowly reached for the offered hand, before grabbing onto it and clutching it, almost as if to prevent Varian from being torn away from him a second time.

Anduin watched in wonder as the world around them grew brighter, the overwhelming white consuming his vision until it was all that he could see.

Anduin couldn't say when it had happened, but at some point his eyes had closed, and he had fallen into a lying position amongst the flowers and grasses of the valley, which he could tell he was in from the enchanting scent that floated across the breeze, originating from the countless flowers that blossomed across the valley.

_**His father.**_

Flowers forgotten, Anduin's eyes burst open, the king scrambling up to a standing position as he widely looked around him.

_What if it __was__ all a dream?_

_What if __it__hadn't__ worked?_

_What if..._

Anduin froze as he found himself looking upon the Sacred Pools once more.

There, its shape wavering slightly under the rippling water, was Shalamayne, resting upon the bottom of the pool, previous glow now gone.

And beside her?

Lying partly-submerged in the bright waters of the pool, unrestrained hair floating in the water to frame his face, was Varian Wrynn.

"Father!" Anduin abandoned all precautions, running towards the motionless form of his father, falling to his knees beside him as he reached out to touch his face, confirming he was real. That he was _there._

As the cool water soaked his boots and pants, Anduin shook his father, trying to get a response out of him.

Varian weakly stirred, before sluggishly blinking, his eyes rolling in their sockets before locking onto Anduin, who breathed a sigh of relief.

"Father... you're back." Anduin helped his father into a sitting position, before sniffling slightly. With little warning, Anduin jolted forward and buried his face into his father's shoulders, gloves fingertips digging into Varian's back as he held the now-alive man close.

Varian just wrapped his strong arms around his emotional son, resting his head against Anduin's as he held him.

The world was silent for a few moments, before Varian coughed, getting Anduin's attention.

"Sitting in water probably isn't doing my newly formed body any good." Varian pulled away from his son, resting his hands on the young mans shoulders as he proudly gazed upon his only child. "How about we get out of here, and you can explain just how this happened?"

Anduin sat back, hastily wiping a hand across his reddened eyes and wet cheeks.

"Of course father."

《◇》

Haha I made myself cry writing the part when Anduin cries. (Which is weird because I don't cry over much. Guess Anduin is special :'] )

I might write a bit where Varian returns to Stormwind, but I have yet to decide.

(Varian and Genn are obviously bffs now so that would be a fun reunion to write.)

Bye for now!

-Ren


End file.
